12 Inventions That Do All Your Chores

Humans have long harnessed the power of machines to help us work better, faster, and smarter. Many of these technologies work in the background of our home, heating our water, powering our lights, and washing our dishes. There's no denying that dishwashers, laundry machines, and other household essentials have made our modern lives much more comfortable, but there's a limit to what these appliances can do. We might be able to automate a wash cycle but what about clipping the grass from our bedroom, or washing the windows with the flick of a switch? Meet a new generation of flashy gizmos that can do all of that and more—saving you unprecedented amounts of time on household chores.

Leave No Leaves Behind

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They say there are only two certainties—death and taxes. But if you live on a wooded lot, you know that gutter clogs deserve mention on any list of things you can't avoid. Even though it's your least favorite chore, each year finds you climbing the ladder, scooper in hand, once more on a mission to clear clogs. This time around, you can make the job quicker, easier, and safer with the iRobot Looj. As you employ a remote control to guide it down the gutter, the Looj propels itself on rubber, tank-link treads, blasting through crud and sludge along its way. Available at Amazon; $299.99.

Win Over Streaks

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Think of all the scrubbing, rubbing, and wiping that you do with paper towels and dish rags. You can save yourself the trouble—and achieve streak-free shine in the process—with the Karcher Power Squeegee. A wet vac for flat, non-porous surfaces, it delivers edge-to-edge suction on windows, mirrors, tile, and stone. Simply spray the cleaning solution of your choice, activate the vacuum, and run the blades along the surface. Because it's powered by a lithium-ion battery, you can take the cordless Power Squeegee wherever you need it to go. Available at Amazon; $52.99.

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Groom Your Broom

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We've all been there before: A minute into sweeping the floor, the broom gets so covered in dust that you need to stop and clean it off before finishing the job. It's not a huge deal—but it's a hassle, a time-waster, and when you get right down to it, not very pleasant. Here's the solution: A clever reinvention of the dust bin, the Broom Groomer includes a line of rubber teeth on its rear side. Run the broom across the teeth, and they quickly, easily comb debris out of the bristles, making it possible to do an everyday chore, from start to finish, efficiently. Available at Amazon; $17.96.

Scrub Slim Spaces

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Hate hand-washing dishes? Cuisipro's Magnetic Spot Scrubbers make short work of your usual routine by targeting residue inside the necks of the wine decanters, bottles, and vases that would be too narrow for the standard sponge or scrub brush. As small as a quarter, the silicone scrubbing disc drops into any dirty vessel (along with the soapy water) and follows the magnetized scrubbing knob about the glass, softly scrubbing. Rinse, refill your cleaned decanter, drink, and repeat. Available on Amazon; $6.96.

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Preset Your Precipitation

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Today, anyone can have a green thumb with the right helpers. The Edyn Water Valve (when connected to the company's Garden Sensor and app) puts irrigation on autopilot, providing your plants with exactly the amount of water they need. No more dried out shrubs or water wasted flooding your garden! The sensor calculates personalized recommendations based on your type of plants, local weather reports, and the data it collects on your specific plot of land, then the valve connects to your existing watering system to administer them. Available at Edyn.com; $69.95.

Fluff Floors to a Shine

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What's better than leaving your messes for a robot sweep up? Watching said robot—a brightly hued ball of fluff—rolling around to do your dirty work. The battery-powered Mocoro Mini Sweeping Robot catches dust bunnies in its microfiber cloth cover, hoovering as it rolls underneath furniture and around corners. Once its pink, yellow, blue, or green fabric gets covered, simply unzip it and rinse it clean. Available on Amazon; $14.99.

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Automate a Glistening Grill

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After a cooking up a summer feast, the last thing you want to do is scrub grease and grime from the grill with a wire brush. What if you could sit down to eat with the rest of the family while someone else takes care of the mess? That's where the Grillbot comes in. This rechargeable robot can clean even just-used grills, plus its dishwasher-safe brass brushes double its cleaning convenience. Available at Amazon; $98.99.

Ditch Your Dustpan

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Simplify your sweeping routine with VacPort's baseboard vacuum. Just sweep dirt, dust, and crumbs near the opening, tap the valve with your shoe to switch it on, and the tiny port will handle the rest! This like-magic tool works by drawing on the power of your central vacuum. Even better, a powerful LED shines a light on any debris that your broom might have otherwise missed. Available on Amazon; $59.99.

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Lose the Scoop

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There aren't many cons to owning a cat, but dealing with a litter box is a definite negative. With the ScoopFree self-cleaning box, you may never need to stoop and scoop ever again. When your cat steps out of the box, ScoopFree's rake does the dirty work for you, sweeping waste into a covered compartment. The best part? You'll only have to replace the tray once every few weeks. Available on Amazon; $129.95.

Trim a Little Off the Top

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Mow the lawn while you sleep, with the Landroid Robotic Mower. This programable mower lets you customize its daily cutting schedule, and runs 7 days a week for a neat and trim lawn that's never overgrown. When the machine runs low on battery or senses rain, it retreats back to its base to hide out until it can continue its mission—giving you your best yard yet. Best of all, its super quiet motor lets you mow at night, which clears the yard by day for play and leisure. Available on Amazon; $999.

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Put Your Lawn on the Path Lushness

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It's a summer lawn care ritual: Hook the sprinkler to the hose, switch on the tap, let the water run, switch off the tap, move the sprinkler to a new patch of grass, and repeat. Cut the hassle out of your watering routine with a sprinkler that repositions itself for you. The Raintrain Traveling Sprinkler propels along the length of hose, at your choice of three speeds, and automatically shuts off at any point along the track that you'd like, making proper lawn care a no brainer. Available on Amazon; $63.28.

Wash Without Wiping

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Say goodbye to streaky windows, dirty mirrors, and cloudy shower doors—all without lifting a finger. The WINBOT robotic window cleaner handles all of these surfaces so you don't have to. Simply attach the bot to the glass and wait for it to do its work—it will notify you with a little tune when it has finished its chores. Available on Amazon; $399.99.

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